The English Department is home to a variety of clubs to participate in and receive support from like-minded individuals. English Club, Professional Writing Club, and Messages in a Bottle are all meeting this spring.    

The English Club is a student-run organization open to all majors and concentrations, with the only prerequisite being an interest in the world of literature and writing. The club also hosts open mic readings, where individuals can share work or enjoy listening to others' creative projects in a relaxed environment.

“I believe that English Club is a useful space for people that have a shared interest and love for English Literature and the language itself. It is less of a book or writing club and more of a casual gathering of people that have a shared interest. I use it to hang out, bounce ideas, and to generally have a good time more than anything. Notably, the Goldenrod Poetry event will be happening this semester,” said English Club President, Seth Nevin. 

Specific dates for English Club and open mic readings are TBA. 

Professional Writing Club, overseen by Associate Professor and Internship Coordinator, Dr. Angela Jones, is another club to look out for this term. January 2022 marks the fifth year since the club’s inception in 2017. The club is sponsored by information security firm, KirkpatrickPrice, whose professional writers host the meetings and offer advice.  

Club meetings aim to provide a chance to learn about opportunities available to professional writers and discuss means of navigating the ever-changing workforce. Dr. Jones stresses the overarching goals of showing the benefits of the professional writing concentration or minor, educating students on career options, and helping students land jobs in the field. 

The Professional Writing Club will meet via Zoom on the first Tuesday of every month on the following dates:

Tuesday, Feb. 1, 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 1, 4:30 p.m. 

Tuesday, April 5, 4:30 p.m. 

See the English Department Calendar to access Zoom links to the meetings.

Another club option, Messages in a Bottle, is a workshop-based creative writing club open to all majors. “We provide group feedback and workshopping activities for all manners of creative writing, including plays, scripts, poems, novels, short stories, nonfiction essays, and flash fiction,” said Sarah Stevens, club vice president. 

“Messages in a Bottle is a great way to make friends and get feedback on your writing, especially if you have a busy schedule,” said Stevens. “On the practical side, sharing your work with other writers can help you improve both your writing and speaking skills, and we do our best to give everyone the time and space to improve on the qualities of their choosing.” 

Messages in a Bottle will be meeting every other Wednesday at 4 p.m. in Cherry Hall 125, with Zoom and asynchronous options available. The first meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022.